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Here is a thread of my ramblings on anonymity for #DezNat people. I was recently kicked off of Facebook for no apparent reason. I tried logging in and they said my account (or activity) violated their community standards. No explanation as to how, and no way to fix it.
I was offered a button, which I clicked, to "request a review" of their decision. A message popped up that said they MIGHT review it, but that due to COVID-19, they were really short-staffed and so, like, they might not *actually* review it. "Sorry for the inconvenience"
I've used Facebook quasi-anonymously for many years, because I work for the gov't. I had pictures of myself on there, but never used my real name.
A few years back, I deactivated my profile and just stuck to using messenger. It was great because I don't own a cell phone, and I have many siblings, friends, and family members in disparate parts of the world. So we could all chat on there and keep in touch.
Recently, my wife and I had the elders over. It was the first time they were allowed to visit a member's home in many months. We talked a long time about missionary life in the lockdown, and they told us all about their Facebook initiatives, and contacting ppl through Facebook.
I took to heart their invitation to join them on FB. I reactivated my profile and changed my name to my real name. Joined the ward page. I was FLOODED with friend requests from all the members of my home ward. Mostly boomers and the elderly, but also others like the missionaries.
I still remained cautious, putting everyone on "restricted" so that they could only see what I posted publicly. And I kept my political ranting and opinions mostly to myself. I did make some sarcastic comments about Covid and the election, but nothing very "edgy" by any means
I noticed I was getting popular among the missionaries. Elders I'd never met from all over the mission kept sending me friend requests. I assume this was because I liked posting church art, thoughts about the scriptures, quotes from the prophets, and #DezNat style church memes
The last thing I posted, and the image that I assume got me banned from FB, is this one here. It is the famous Friberg painting, with Capt. Moroni replaced by the guy from Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, an anime from the 90s.
With the image, I posted "Happy Veteran's Day to all who continue to fight in the ongoing Meme Wars. Thank you for your service." It got a lot of likes and attention from my missionary friends. A couple of days later, I was banned.
When I tried making a new profile, I was asked to upload a picture of my face to verify my identity before I was even allowed to do anything else. This kind of freaked me out, and so I stopped. Are my face and name now banned from Facebook?
This all goes back to the anonymity thing because it's been a pet peeve of mine for a long time. Mormies complain that we should all be using our "real names" on social media, because real names will foster "niceness" and "A RETURN TO CIVILITY" (every never-Trumper's motto)
But now, because I used my real face and name, I may not be allowed to use FB anymore. I am cut off from even using their instant messenger app to communicate with friends and family. The only way I may be able to get back in is by using a fake name and/or picture i.e. anonymity
Anonymity is not a bad thing. Everyone on the internet before 2012 and the advent of smartphones will attest to how much better it was back then. I'm not saying it was some utopia, but it was more fun. And EVERYONE was anonymous.
Anonymity forces everyone to engage with IDEAS and not people. This is why the missionaries of our church are semi-anonymous as they present the gospel. Their anonymity helps the discussion remain focused on the message, not their individual personalities
We do this all the time in the church. We constantly take upon ourselves new names. First at baptism. Later in the temple. We all dress in white and temporarily exist as other people with different names.
The prophet Abinadi understood the necessity of preaching anonymously among the people, in a disguise. Yes, he hilariously blows his cover as he tells the story of the Lord calling him by name. But note how he is put to death shortly after he doxxes himself.
At least he continued to uphold NICENESS and CIVILITY as they un-anonymously burned him to death.
Furthermore, is it even accurate to say that who you present yourself as on social media is your "true self"? Our online personas are meticulously curated. And there's nothing wrong with that--the internet, like any book or form of media, isn't "real" so who cares
"La Vita Nuova," is an autobiographical book written in prose and verse by the Italian poet, Dante. The book details the poet's life in medieval Florence. Fascinatingly, he never once mentions the fact that he was married.
So because his full name was on the book, it was not "anonymous." But it clearly didn't depict a fully historically "accurate" version of his life. He left stuff out. Does this make his book a lie?
What if he had included his wife and marriage, but left out other stuff? There are untold millions of things that make up a life. Does he need to tell us where he worked? Do we need a log of his daily breakfasts? If he leaves these out, is he misrepresenting his life story?
Obv not, because in leaving things out, Dante is still representing his story. Dante wrote his life story that way for a reason. Maybe his wife (most likely from an arranged marriage) wasn't important to him. Or maybe his wife had nothing to do with the point he wanted to make
Maybe his wife meant so much to him that he didn't feel it appropriate to bring her up. Maybe he wanted to avoid embarrassing her.
Similarly, the prophet Nephi doesn't even mention his wife by name. Are we to understand that because Nephi left this detail out, he was lying?
Similarly, the prophet Nephi doesn't even mention his wife by name. Are we to understand that because Nephi left this detail out, he was lying?
My point is that when we present ourselves in writing, or online, we get to choose the details we provide. Some of you care about providing your names and your faces, perhaps because those things are important to you. But they are not important to all of us.
Many of you define "anonymity" as whether or not you know an internet poster's birth name, what they look like, and where they live. But these details are not the measure of a person. They are simply identifiers that Satanic corporations will use to eventually silence you
Some of you have said that wearing a mask online is bad because it enables you to say things you wouldn't normally say. This may be true, and if you find yourself acting in a shameful way online then by all means, don't be anonymous. Post your real name
But this goes both ways, and sometimes the advantage of anonymity is a good thing. We take young men and move them far away from their homes, put them in uniforms, and take away their names in order to help them say things they wouldn't normally be able to say. Anonymity helps.
So please understand that the wicked men of this generation are the ones who are pushing hardest against anonymity. And it's not because they want a RETURN TO CIVILITY. It is because they want to silence people from talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus himself walked anonymously with his followers on the way to Emmaus. There is a time for remaining anonymous, and it can be a huge help in spreading the gospel and helping others.
If you're hung up on "anonymity = meanness" just remember: nobody is anonymous to God.
If you're hung up on "anonymity = meanness" just remember: nobody is anonymous to God.
